The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-12

ing appeals OF her mother:
mat Is what we don't have and want 10
nave mere. Are we, perhaps, worse than
your american women! They are queens,
I5ney ENJOY lie, independence, liberty; we are
slaves, doomed to end our lives in dungeons
or Siberia VAS
LIMA KIKoLAYEvNA cHoUDz1N.
Svetlotf applauded the passionate out
purst, the young Choudzins ironically leaned
over the table to shake hands with their lit
Tie sister, while the mother, all confused
tried to excuse her.
Lima is so forgetful," she said. az
lear her rashness will bring her one
day into trouble
oVetloif assured the old lady that was
an American, not member of the immortal
detective force who would give her daugh,
ter away.
Nine. Choudzin Indignantly replied that
she did not entertain such an idea for a mo-
ment, and, addressing herself to me, she
I'm Russia peonle hsva haco,,a So ,,,,o,l
cd" ~ . ''''- -
She did not end her sentence, for sudden
y strange sounds of music coming from
the open door of the drawing room. filled
the air. | looked back and saw Lima sitting
at the piano. How wonderful was her music
Never before had l heard a combination
OF sounds with such singular, bizarre, now
complaining, now careSsing, and almost
moaning color of tune. Now she dragged
and prolonged the measure so it sounded
like the moaning of the wind; but then she
tumbled and hurried 1t, making me think
mat was listening to cataract Of tones.
felt puzzled and captivated but at the same
time enjoyed the music. Slowly the
wrath or passion of the fair pianist subsid-
q
calmness, and the tones began to hop on the
key board like ignes fatui over a stagnant
surface of lake.
CONVENTION ON THE PORCH.
Suddenly Lima left the piano, and we all
joined her IN the veranda, adjoining large
garden with bulky, blooming trees, clean,
yellow paths, delighted flowers, and all the
gayety of May. 1t was a bright. warm
afternoon. The air was spiced with blossom
scent and filed with the humming and buz-
zng offices and butterflies. was charmed
by the calmnesS and grandeur of the scenery
before me, and yet on the enlightened faces
OF my friends, as well as on all their sur
roundings, there hung, it appeared to me,
some heavy, pressing burden, and every
thing seemed incumbered by a longing to
get rid OF it. The conversation was re-
suned. Lina's eldest brother, an officer of
"
on the organization of our militia and ma
tional army; the other two brothers, one a
the other mechanical engineer
and architect, asked questions pertaining to
their professions. Lima asked how l liked
the popular songs of Southern Russia that
she had just played. Svetloff got warmed
up and began to lecture on the political stu
alton of his country.
THE RUSSIAN POLITICAL SITUATION.
Russia" he said, may be called the
youngest of the nations of Europa prom
Using but backward child, whose develop
ment is a slow process Her rulers have
been so little in the habit of recognizing the
growth of desire for Improvement among
the higher classes that when the deceased
Emperor AleXander's attention was directed
to the awakening of the mind of the coun-
try, as shown by increased activity in all
departments of thought, he deemed it be-
meath his notice. Hitherto abSolutism had
prevented all progress and stifled all aspira-
lions, providing no outlet for the energies of
the young, aud taking no thought for the
of intellectual development. The
literary and philosophical movement in the
middle of the century, called Nihilism, re
minds of the revival of learning in France
before the revolution hundred years ago,
for Russia Lays hundred years behind the
rest of Europe. There were the same en-
the same thirst for knowledge, the
same worship of genius Newspapers were
multiplied, magazines were started, books
and pamphlets sprang from the hands of the
printer like the armed Minerva from the
brain of Jupiter Every work Of merit
published in England, France or Germany
was at once translated into Russian and
eagerly discussed. Nihilism was the mega
ton of all doctrines not founded on pure
reason-a bold declaration of war against
everything that could impede or Shackle the
development Of the human mind. The
word was not used in political sense till a
much later period. In fact politics was then
hardly thought Of, and it was not till the
death of Emperor Nicholas, thirty years
ago, that the spirit of radicalism, hitherto
only applied to philosophical speculation,
was turned to the affairs of the country.
Then it was that the thinker became a re-
and took the oath of Hannibal
against the present unjust order of things
Give us half of your American liberties and
we will be perfectly satisfied"
A CHARMING NIHILIsTIC FAMILY.
Remained with the Nihilistic family--for
ALL even the old lady, entertained revolu-
tionary ideas-until late in the afternoon
Svetloffs honest face frightened more and
more during the flow Of his eloquence. He
drew splendid picture of the domestic life
of modern Russia, and enlightened me on
subjects that interested me most. Lina's
father, he said, was Colonel in the Russian
army He died at Plevna during the last
Russo Turkish war, leaving his family in
good circumstances. Besides, the old lady
was pensioned by the government. Lina's
sister, genial young lady, died in cell at
the fortress of St. Petersburg, whittier she
had been sent for utilization with the Mill
istic movement. Lima herself, though girl
of 20 years, had already also had an oppor-
tunity to inhale prison air. She had OBJ
tanned the position of a teacher in village,
and because she dared TO overstep the limits
prescribed by the government, because she
taught the peasant boys and girls not only
to read and write, buttold them stories from
ancient and modern history, she was sus-
pected of Nihilism, arrested, and kept In
prison for three months.
At o'clock servant announced that tea
was ready. 1t was the first time in my life
that tasted genuine Russian tea, and l
must say it was delicious. At z o'clock we
narted with the understanding that
The next day should be shown something
''really strange and interesting" as Linaex-
pressed herself.
MISS CLEVELAND ON PATRIOTISM.